Door pull

ABSTRACT

A pull for a sliding door is mounted within a door mounting opening and includes a pull piece retained within the opening by a resiliently deformable back piece; the back piece accommodating for varying door thicknesses.

I Umted States Patent [1 1 [11] 3,775,808 Little Dec. 4, 1973 DOOR PULL2,842,420 7/1958 Hansenetal 312 204 [75] I ventor: Carl H. Lit e, Ja etown, N Y. 1,569,094 1/1926 Kurtzon 16/124 73 A W be -K 1 sslgnee e rCompany Primary Examiner-Francis K. Zugel Jamestown, N.Y.

Assistant Exammer-Dorls L. Troutman [22] Filed: Oct. 13, 1971Attorney-John B. Bean et al.

[21] Appl. No.: 188,917

[52] US. Cl 16/124, 312/204, 312/330 [57] ABSTRACT [51] 11.111. Cl A471)95/02 A p for a Sliding door is mounted within a door [58] Field ofSearch 16/124; 312/204, mounting opening and includes a pull pieceretained 312/330 within the opening by a resiliently deformable backpiece; the back piece accommodating for varying door [56] ReferencesCited thicknesses.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 369,519 9/1887 Grant 312/204 12 Claims, 3 DrawingFigures PATENTEI] DEC 41975 3.775.808

INVENTOR.

CARL H. LITTLE ATTORNEYS DOOR PULL SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention primarily relates to pulls for sliding doors or the like.

Specifically, the pull is of two part construction including a pullpiece shaped to be received within a generally rectangular door mountingopening and to engage a front surface of the door about such opening,and a resiliently deformable rear piece, which engages a rear surface ofthe door and cooperates with the pull piece to retain the pull inassembled condition.

The pull piece is preferably of integrally formed molded plasticconstruction including a rear portion having bottom, top and side orpull wall portions, which are end edge jointed to define an open endedbox received within the door opening, and a cover or face plate portion,which is joined to the front edges of the wall portions and defines alip portion adapted to lie in abutting engagement with a front surfaceof the door. The cover portion is also formed with a centrally arrangedpull or finger access opening to be used in both assembly of the pulland subsequent operation of the door. The top and bottom wall portionsare formed with rearwardly extending, facing generally L-shapedretaining fingers or members, which are preferably formed with forwardlyfacing cylindrically convex cam surfaces.

The back piece is in the form of a generally rectangular, resilientlydeformable plastic plate provided with a pair of parallel ears or ribprojections arranged in an inwardly spaced relationship relative tovertically disposed opposite edge portions thereof.

The pull is assembled with the pull piece locked within the mountingopening by slide fitting the back piece between the rear surface of thedoor and cam surfaces of the retaining fingers, while bowing the backpiece rearwardly by finger pressure applied through the pull accessopening until each of the back piece ears snaps into seated engagementwithin the side wall portions and both vertical edge portions lie inabutting engagement withthe rear surface of the door. Resilientdeformation of the back piece additionally accommodates for variationsin door thickness.

While the pull of the present invention is primarily intended for usewith sliding doors, it may be used in the operation of other types ofclosures, as for instance a pull for drawers.

DRAWINGS The nature and mode of the present invention will now be morefully described in the following detailed description taken with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front. perspective view showing the door pull of the presentinvention installed within a door opening;

FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the door pullillustrating the preferred installation technique; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 in FIG. 2, butshowing the pull fully installed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION To facilitate understanding of the presentinvention, the present pull, which is generally designated as in thedrawings, will be described as being used in association with ahorizontally sliding door or closure 12 having a generally rectangularpull mounting opening 14 extending between front and rear door surfaces16 and 18, respectively. However, as will be apparent. pull 10 is notlimited solely to use with this type of closure, and may for example,even be employed as a drawer pull.

Pull 10 is shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 as including a pull piece 20,which is formed with a rear portion 22 and a front cover or plateportion 24, and a back piece 26. Rear portion 22 is best shown in FIG. 2as being essentially in the form of an open ended box, which is ofgenerally rectangular cross section and dimensioned to be freelyaccommodated within door mounting opening 14."Specifically, rear portion22 is formed from end edge joined wall portions including like top andbottom wall portions 30 and 32 and like pull or vertical side wallportions 34 and 36; such wall portions in turn being front edge joinedto the rear surface of front cover 24. Preferably, pull piece 20 is ofintegrally formed molded plastic construction.

As will be apparent from viewing FIGS. 2 and 3, pull wall portions 34and 36 have a width-wise dimension, which preferably correspondssubstantially to the minimum thickness dimension of a door with whichthe pull is to be employed, and top and bottom wall portions 30 and 32are formed with a pair of rearwardly extending, facing, generallyL-shaped retainer fingers or members 38 and 40, respectively. Retainerfingers 38 and 40 include facing guide portions 42 and 44, which arearranged in a vertically offset or stepped relationship relative toadjacent inner facing surfaces of top and bottom wall portions 30 and32, respectively; and retaining portions 46 and 48, which upstand fromguide portions 42 and 44 and are formed with forwardly facing verticallyaligned, cylindrically convex cam surfaces 50 and 52. Guide portions 42and 44 are preferably formed to extend completely across the rear ofrear portion 22. Front cover 24 is shown as being dimensioned to extendtransversely beyond rear portion 22 so as to define a marginal lip oroverhang portion 54 adapted to lie in abutting engagement with doorfront surface 16 about opening 14. To permit assembly and subsequentoperation of pull 10, front cover 24 is formed with a user finger accessopening 56, which preferably extends vertically between the innersurfaces of wall portions 30 and 32, but is inwardly spaced relative tothe inner surfaces of wall portions 34 and 36.

Back piece 26, which is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, is preferably inthe form of a generally rectangular, resiliently deformable plasticplate having a pair of integrally formed ear like members 58 and 60.Members 58 and 60 are arranged to project forwardly of and be insetrelative to spaced edge portions 62 and 64 of the front surface of theback piece. By again referring to FIS. 2 and 3, it will be understoodthat the back piece 26 is dimensioned to permit edge portions 62 and 64to engage door rear surface 18 adajcent opposite sides of opening 14; topermit oppositely facing surfaces of ear members 58 and 60 to bearranged closely adjacent facing surfaces of wall portions 34 and 36,respectively; and to permit upper and lower marginal edges 66 and 68 tolie closely adjacent guide portions 42 and 44, respectively, when pull10 is in assembled condition. Preferably, ear members 58 and 60 are of alength permitting their upper and lower ends to lie immediately adjacentthe facing surfaces of wall portions 30 and 32, as indicated in FIG. 1.

It will be understood that pull may be assembled by first inserting rearportion 22 within mounting opening 14 and thereafter slide fitting backpiece 26 in the direction indicated by arrow 70 in FIG. 2, between doorrear surface 18 and cam surfaces 50 and 52 with marginal edges 66 and 68in sliding engagement with guide portions 42 and 44 until both of theear members snap into engagement with the side wall portion and bothedge portions lie in abutting engagement with the rear surface of thedoor. Sliding and rearwardly bowing of the back piece to the degreerequired may be assisted by finger pressure applied through accessopening 56. As will be apparent from viewing FIG. 3, the resilientnature of the back piece permits the latter to be deformed to the extentindicated at 26' in order to accommodate for doors having thicknessvarying upwardly at that indicated at 18. After assembly of pull 10,door 12 may be slid in opposite directions, as indicated by arrow 72 inFIG. 1, by a user inserting one or more of his fingers through opening56 and applying finger tip pressure upon either of side wall portions 34or 36; such wall portions in turn transmitting operating pressure todoor 12. Unintentional slippage of the tips of the users fingers fromengagement with such wall portions is effectively prevented by therearwardly facing surfaces of cover plate 24 adjacent opening 56.

While the back plate has been described as being resiliently deformable,it will be appreciated that it should be as stiff as is commensuratewith pull assembly requirements in order to retain lip 54 firmly seatedadjacent door front surface 16.

I claim:

1. A pull in combination with a closure, wherein the Y closure is formedwith a pull mounting opening extending between front and rear surfacesthereof, said pull comprising:

a pull piece, said pull piece including a rear portion received withinsaid opening and a front cover portion extending transversely of saidrear portion to lie in abutting engagement with said front surfaceadjacent said opening, said cover portion having a user finger receivingpull opening extending rearwardly therethrough, said rear portiondefining facing surface portions and retainer means extending rearwardlyof said rear surface from between said facing surface portions; and backpiece having front and rear surface portions and a pair of ear meansprojecting forwardly of and arranged in an inset relationship relativeto spaced edge portions of said front surface portion, said back pieceextending generally transversely of said rear portion with said edgeportions arranged in abutting engagement with said rear surface boundingsaid opening and with said ear means extending forwardly into said rearportion in close proximity one with each of said facing surface portionsand with said rear surface portion in abutting engagement with saidretainer means.

2. A pull according to claim 1, wherein said back piece is formed of aresiliently deformable material.

3. A pull according to claim 2, wherein said retainer means includes apair of generally L-shaped retaining means arranged in a facingrelationship, said retaining means including essentially parallel facingguide portions and retaining portions upstanding the refrom, said guideportions positionally engaging marginal edges of said back piececonnecting said edge portions thereof and said retaining portionsengaging said rear surface portion of said back piece adjacent saidmarginal edges.

4. A pull according to claim 1, wherein said rear portion includes fourwall portions end edge joined to define a rearwardly open box ofgenerally rectangular cross-sectional configuration, said front coverportion being joined to forwardly facing edges of said wall portions,one facing pair of said wall portions defining said facing surfaceportions, said retainer means extending rearwardly from at least onewall portion of an other facing pair of said wall portions, and saidback piece is in the form of a plate having a generally rectangularconfiguration.

5. A pull according to claim 4, wherein said back piece is formed of aresiliently deformable material, said retainer means includes a pair ofgenerally L- shaped retaining means extending one from each of said wallportions of said other pair and arranged in a facing relationship, saidretaining means including facing guide portions and retaining portionsupstanding therefrom, said guide portions positionally engaging marginaledges of said back piece connecting said edge portions thereof, and saidretaining portions having forwardly facing surfaces thereof engagingsaid rear surface portion of said back piece adjacent said marginaledges.

6. A pull according to claim 5, wherein said guide portions extendtransversely of said rear portion at least between said facing surfaceportions whereby to engage substantially the whole of said marginaledges, and said guide portions are spaced apart a distance in excess ofthe spacing between facing surfaces of said other pair of wall portions.

7. A pull according to claim 5, wherein each of said ear means is in theform of a rib extending between facing surfaces of said other pair ofwall portions.

8. A pull according to claim 5, wherein said forwardly facing surfacesof said retaining portions are of cylindrically convex configuration andarranged in alignment.

9. A pull according to claim 5, wherein said pull opening is ofgenerally rectangular configuration having a first pair of facing edgeportions arranged in substantial alignment with facing surfaces of saidother pair of wall portions and a second pair of facing edge portionsarranged in an inwardly spaced relationship one relative to each of thesaid facing surface portions.

10. A pull according to claim 9, wherein said guide portions extendtransversely of said rear portion at least between said facing surfaceportions and are spaced apart a distance in excess of the spacingbetween said facing surfaces of said other pair of wall portions, eachof said ear means is in the form of a rib extending between said facingsurfaces of said other pair of wall portions, and said forwardly facingsurfaces of said retaining portions are of cylindrically convexconfiguration and arranged in alignment.

11. A pull for use in operating a closure, wherein the closure is formedwith a pull mounting opening extending between front and rear surfacesthereof, said pull comprising in combination:

a pull piece, said pull piece including a rear portion dimensioned to bereceived within said opening and a front cover portion dimensioned toextend transversely outwardly of said rear portion for abuttingengagement with said front surface adjacent said opening, said coverportion having a user finger receiving pull opening extending rearwardlytherethrough, said rear portion defining facing surface portions andretainer means extending rearwardly from between said facing surfaceportions, said rear portion being dimensioned to position said retainermeans rearwardly of said rear surface when said rear portion is receivedwithin said opening; and

back piece having front and rear surface portions and a pair of earmeans projecting forwardly of and arranged in an inset relationshiprelative to spaced edge portions of said front surface portion, saidback piece being dimensioned to extend generally transversely of saidrear portion for positioning said edge portions for abutting engagementwith said rear surface bounding said opening and for positioning saidear means within said rear portion in close proximity one with each ofsaid facing surface portions and for positioning said rear surfaceportion for abutting engagement with said retainer means, whereby saidback piece is adapted to cooperate with said rear portion to assemblesaid pull and retain said pull within said opening.

12. A pull according to claim 11, wherein said back piece is formed of aresiliently deformable material, and said retainer means includes a pairof generally L- shaped retaining means arranged in a facingrelationship, said retaining means including essentially parallel facingguide portions and retaining portions, said guide portions being spacedfor positionally engaging marginal edges of said back piece connectingsaid edge portions thereof and said retaining portions upstanding fromsaid guide portions for engaging said rear surface portion of said backpiece adjacent said marginal edges.

1. A pull in combination with a closure, wherein the closure is formedwith a pull mounting opening extending between front and rear surfacesthereof, said pull comprising: a pull piece, said pull piece including arear portion received within said opening and a front cover portionextending transversely of said rear portion to lie in abuttingengagement with said front surface adjacent said opening, said coverportion having a user finger receiving pull opening extending rearwardlytherethrough, said rear portion defining facing surface portions andretainer means extending rearwardly of said rear surface from betweensaid facing surface portions; and a back piece having front and rearsurface portions and a pair of ear means projecting forwardly of andarranged in an inset relationship relative to spaced edge portions ofsaid front surface portion, said back piece extending generallytransversely of said rear portion with said edge portions arranged inabutting engagement with said rear surface bounding said opening andwith said ear means extending forwardly into said rear portion in closeproximity one with each of said facing surface portions and with saidrear surface portion in abutting engagement with said retainer means. 2.A pull according to claim 1, wherein said back piece is formed of aresiliently deformable material.
 3. A pull according to claim 2, whereinsaid retainer means includes a pair of generally L-shaped retainingmeans arranged in a facing relationship, said retaining means includingessentially parallel facing guide portions and retaining portionsupstanding the refrom, said guide portions positionally engagingmarginal edges of said back piece connecting said edge portions thereofand said retaining portions engaging said rear surface portion of saidback piece adjacent said marginal edges.
 4. A pull according to claim 1,wherein said rear portion includes four wall portions end edge joined todefine a rearwardly open box of generally rectangular cross-sectionalconfiguration, said front cover portion being joined to forwardly facingedges of said wall portions, one facing pair of said wall portionsdefining said facing surface portions, said retainer means extendingrearwardly from at least one wall portion of an other facing pair ofsaid wall portions, and said back piece is in the form of a plate havinga generally rectangular configuration.
 5. A pull according to claim 4,wherein said back piece is formed of a resiliently deformable material,said retainer means includes a pair of generally L-shaped retainingmeans extending one from each of said wall portions of said other pairand arranged in a facing relationship, said retaining means includingfacing guide portions and retaining portions upstanding therefrom, saidguide portions positionally engaging marginal edges of said back piececonnecting said edge portions thereof, and said retaining portionshaving forwardly facing surfaces thereof engaging said rear surfaceportion of said bAck piece adjacent said marginal edges.
 6. A pullaccording to claim 5, wherein said guide portions extend transversely ofsaid rear portion at least between said facing surface portions wherebyto engage substantially the whole of said marginal edges, and said guideportions are spaced apart a distance in excess of the spacing betweenfacing surfaces of said other pair of wall portions.
 7. A pull accordingto claim 5, wherein each of said ear means is in the form of a ribextending between facing surfaces of said other pair of wall portions.8. A pull according to claim 5, wherein said forwardly facing surfacesof said retaining portions are of cylindrically convex configuration andarranged in alignment.
 9. A pull according to claim 5, wherein said pullopening is of generally rectangular configuration having a first pair offacing edge portions arranged in substantial alignment with facingsurfaces of said other pair of wall portions and a second pair of facingedge portions arranged in an inwardly spaced relationship one relativeto each of the said facing surface portions.
 10. A pull according toclaim 9, wherein said guide portions extend transversely of said rearportion at least between said facing surface portions and are spacedapart a distance in excess of the spacing between said facing surfacesof said other pair of wall portions, each of said ear means is in theform of a rib extending between said facing surfaces of said other pairof wall portions, and said forwardly facing surfaces of said retainingportions are of cylindrically convex configuration and arranged inalignment.
 11. A pull for use in operating a closure, wherein theclosure is formed with a pull mounting opening extending between frontand rear surfaces thereof, said pull comprising in combination: a pullpiece, said pull piece including a rear portion dimensioned to bereceived within said opening and a front cover portion dimensioned toextend transversely outwardly of said rear portion for abuttingengagement with said front surface adjacent said opening, said coverportion having a user finger receiving pull opening extending rearwardlytherethrough, said rear portion defining facing surface portions andretainer means extending rearwardly from between said facing surfaceportions, said rear portion being dimensioned to position said retainermeans rearwardly of said rear surface when said rear portion is receivedwithin said opening; and a back piece having front and rear surfaceportions and a pair of ear means projecting forwardly of and arranged inan inset relationship relative to spaced edge portions of said frontsurface portion, said back piece being dimensioned to extend generallytransversely of said rear portion for positioning said edge portions forabutting engagement with said rear surface bounding said opening and forpositioning said ear means within said rear portion in close proximityone with each of said facing surface portions and for positioning saidrear surface portion for abutting engagement with said retainer means,whereby said back piece is adapted to cooperate with said rear portionto assemble said pull and retain said pull within said opening.
 12. Apull according to claim 11, wherein said back piece is formed of aresiliently deformable material, and said retainer means includes a pairof generally L-shaped retaining means arranged in a facing relationship,said retaining means including essentially parallel facing guideportions and retaining portions, said guide portions being spaced forpositionally engaging marginal edges of said back piece connecting saidedge portions thereof and said retaining portions upstanding from saidguide portions for engaging said rear surface portion of said back pieceadjacent said marginal edges.